This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNALPosted: 7/25/2005 11:33 pm

Screaming into downtown Reno on Wednesday night will be some hot racing cars driven by some even hotter celebrities.

Bullrun USA 2005 is an eight-day 3,000-mile cross-country event that began Friday in Los Angeles and zips across the United States before the race finishes back in California in three days.

“This is a rally. We never, never say race,” organizer Andrew Duncan said.

This rally has a reputation of breaking a few speed limits despite denials of any such thing by Duncan, a one-time British investment banker who left the corporate world to run rallies, a form of racing where the driver is credited for reaching check points in a certain amount of time.

Like the 1981 movie “The Cannonball Run,” in which Burt Reynolds’ character organizes an illegal cross-country race, invited A-listers on this road trip stop at various checkpoints, not knowing where the event goes each day.

Coming Wednesday from Salt Lake City on Interstate 80, the group of 200 including crew will spend the night being wined and dined at Circus Circus before heading out for the last leg of the trip Thursday morning.

“Two years ago we had this group stop here before heading to Vegas at 2 a.m. One guy made it in two hours from San Francisco,” said Debbi Engebritson, marketing manager for Circus Circus. This will be the first time the group has spent the night.

“I’ve heard they send out drivers out ahead of people like Rodman so the decoys get the speeding tickets,” said Robert Payne, publicist for Circus Circus.

“The cars they are driving are amazing. They are some of the best in Ferraris, Porsches, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and even a fighter jet,” Payne said.

Duncan said the only way to race is to be one of the 100 invited “interesting people.” The rally is expected to air on the Bravo channel in November.